Connector



Oct. 24, 1944. c. E. WADE 2,360,917

CONNECTOR Filed Aug. 8, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR G zgmhze. BY I ATTORNEY-5'.

C. E. WADE Get. 24, 1944.

CONNECTOR Filed Aug. 8, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i p w I A m ossics The present invention relates to electrical connectlng devices. and in particular, provides im-- proved constructions -of connectors adapted to form eflicient separable connections between one or more terminals and one or more wires.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide devices of the above mentioned character, which are extremely simple in construction, inexpensive of manutacture, and which can be assembled and applied to the cooperating members in a ready and eflicientmanner; to pro vide such devices comprising generally an insulating body and one or more electrical terminal stmctures, known generally in the trade as contacts, received within the body and removably but securely held in place therein: to provide such devices wherein the contacts are readily insertable into the body during the assembly operation, and are eiiiciently secured in place therein; to provide such constructions wherein each contact is adapted to be snapped into place within the insulating body; to. provide such constructions wherein each contact is adapted to be freely slldably inserted into the insulating body and wherein supplemental means are provided to retain it in place therein; to provide such constructions embodying improved connections between 1 an associated wire and each electrical contact meniber; to provide such constructions wherein each contact is provided with terminal engagingand wire engaging portions, the terminal portions being of spring-like construction. so as to efllciently grip a wire terminal inserted therein; to provide such constructions wherein each spring like terminal eng in port o serves to hold the contact in place within the insulating body; and to generally improve the construction and arrangement of devices of the above indicated character.

- with the above as well as other objects in view,

, which appear in the following description and in the appended claims, preferred but illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawingathroughout the several views 0! which corresponding reference characters'are used to designate corresponding parts, and in which: i

Figure 1 is a view inside elevation of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, showing the connector asapplied to a vehicle head lamp;

Fig. 2 is a view corresponding generally to Fig. 1, but showing the connector separated from the cooperatinghead lamp;

m. s is aview in front elevation. taken along I I the line H ofFig. 1;.-

Fig-.4 n a er m m'taken nsfthefnne 4-4 of m. s;

Figi '5 is a. view "in transverse section, taken Fig. 8 is a view in vertical section taken along the line l-8 of Fig. I; i

Fig. 9 is a view in vertical section,'taken along the line i'-! of Fig. 'l;

m. 10 is a view in perspective of the embodi-l ment shown in Figs. '1, 8, and 9:

Fig. 11 is a view of a blank from which the contacts of Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 are preferably made; and

Figs. 12, i3, 14, 15, and 16 are, respectively, views in vertical section of additional modifications of the invention. M

It will be appreciated from a complete understanding or the present invention. that the improvements thereoi may be embodied in connectors of widely varying constructions, and speclflcally adapted for widely differing purposes. 39* way of illustration but not of limitation, the invention is herein disclosed as being especially designed to form a connection between a plurality of terminals carried by and projecting irom the body. of a vehicle head lamp assembly,-and a corresponding plurality of wires. In each of the herein disclosed forms, the connector may be characterized as comprising a [readily graspable insulating body, which houses one or more electric contacts, eachcontact being permanently secured to the end of an associated'wire, and being formed to provide a receptacle to receive and resiliently grip a corres'po'nding terminal 'of head lamp or other cooperating part.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 through 6, the connector, designated as a whole as II, comprises an insulating, b y 22, and a plurality of metallic contacts, shown as, being three in number, and designated respectively as it, It, and 28. The connector 20 is adapted to be snapped over the terminals 30, Miami 34, which project rearwardly from the back ofthe'head lamp assembly 88 (Fig. 1), so as to form a connection between such terminals and the wires ll. ll, and 42. respectively. v

As most clearly appears in Fig. 6, the respective contacts 24, 2t, and 28 are of identical construction, so that the description of one will serve 5 forall. Thecontactflcompris'esabackportion M, a pair of spaced leg portions 88, and 4B, which defined between them a terminal receiving receptacle, and a wire en in p rtion 58. The outer ends of the legs 48 and 48 are reversely bent to define spring-like fingers 82 and 88, the ends whereof constitute abutments which function as described hereinafter. Also the leg portions ad- .iacent theback portion 44 are provided with of!- sets to define the additional abutments 88 I and 88 (Fig. 5). It will be understood that the wire engaging portion 88 is adapted to surround the insulated portion of the corresponding wire, immediately adjacent the end thereof, and that the bared end of the wire. projecting through the wire engaging portion 58. is soldered or otherwise permanently electrically connected to the back portion 44 adjacent the portion 58.

In the present instance, each of the terminals 38, 82 and 84 is provided with an opening adjacent the outer end thereof, such as the openings designated 88 and 62 in Figs. 5 and 2, respectively, and, in order to provide a snap connection between each terminal and its corresponding contact, each contact is provided with a detent such as 64 which enters the just mentioned opening in the corresponding terminal when the latter is introduced into the contact. The detent 84 is formed, in the present instance, by depressing a small8 bubble or projection from one side of the leg It will be understood that the contacts 24, 28, and 28 may be formed of any suitable metal having good electrical conducting properties, and of spring-like characteristics. Each contact is preferably formed from an initially planesheet of stock, by one or more suitable die forming operations, which bring it from the initially blank form to the finished form shown in the respective figures.

The insulating body 28 is illustrated as being of generally cylindrical form, the back whereof is provided with a slightly radially projecting rim 18, so as to afford a handheld, and the front surface whereof is provided with a series of axially extending circumferentially spaced projections I2, which, in the assembled positions of the parts shown in Fig. 1, bear against the back of the cooperating surface of the headlamp assembly 88. It will be noted that the respective contacts 24, 28, and 28 project through the body of the insulating member 28 to a position substantially flush with the forward face thereof, and the axially projection portions 12 thus serve to minimize likelihood of the respective contacts being shorted together in the event the front face of the connector is brought into contact with a conducting body.

The insulating body 28 is provided with a group of three cavities, which, as shown, are in the form of axially extending apertures 88, 82, and 84, which are individual respectively to the contacts 24, 28, and 28. In the present instance,- a so-called side connection is afforded for the wires 88, 48, and 42, and so as to accommodate this relation, the openings 88, 82, and 84 communicate with transverse slots 88, 88, and 98, which open from the side wall of the body and extend through to the corresponding axial opening. As most. clearly appears in Fig. 5, the opening 88 is formed to provide a pair of spaced shoulders 82 and 84 at one side thereof, and a corresponding pair of spaced shoulders 88 and 98 at the other side thereof, which shoulders cooperate respectively with the previously mentioned abutments in the associated contact.

With reference to the assembly and to the manner in which the respective contacts are securely retained in place within the insulating body, it will be understood that by virtue of the springlike character of each contact, the legs, such as 48 and 48 thereof, are normally spread apart a distance such that the spacing between the fingersv 52 and I4 is normally in excess of the width of the corresponding opening such as 88. According y. in inserting the contact 24, for example, into the opening 88, the fingers 82 and 84 are forced together slightly so as to admit them to the opening 88, after which the contact 24 may he slid longitudinally into the opening 88 from the rear of the insulating body 28. During such movement, the outer rounded ends of the legs 48 and 48 abut the shoulders 84 and 88. Following such engagement, the shoulders 84 and the fingers I2 and I4 lie generally fiatwise against the sides of the opening 88. Under these conditions the abutments constituted by the ends of the fingers 52 and 84 abut the shoulders 82 and 88 and the abutments I8 and 88 he in abutting relation to the shoulders 84 and 88. Thus, the contact 24 is securely held in place against movement in either direction through the opening 88. As previously mentioned, the width of the opening 88 is less than the free spacing between the fingers 82 and 84 and the legs 48 and 48, so that the legs 48 and 48 are slightly stressed inwardly when the contact is in place. The proportioning of the contact is also such that the legs 48 and 48 are normally spaced apart a distance slightly less than thethickness of the corresponding terminal 28. Accordingly. when the terminal 28 is introduced into the contact to the position shown in Fig. 5, such action spreads the legs 48 and 48 slightly, stressing the turned ends thereof, so that these legs resiliently grip the terminal between them. The just mentioned gripping action aflords an exceedingly good contact between the contacts 24 and terminal 88, and the spreading action of the terminal 88 further wedges the contact in place within the opening 88. A relatively tight and solid connector unit is thus provided. It is herein noted that when the terminal 28 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 5, the detent 84 enters the previously mentioned opening 88 in the end of the terminal so as to afford a positive holding connection between the terminal and the contact. In order to withdraw the contact from the connector, sufiicient force must be employed to overcome not only the friction between the legs 48 and 48 and the terminal 38, but to also overcome the detent holding action.

In the form shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, the insulating body I88 is of generally rectangular form, having the protective lugs such as I82 spaced around the forward face thereof for the reasons described with reference to the lugs 12, and having an axially and radially extending rim 11814 at the rear face thereof to provide a hand In this instance, the contacts, designated rea blank of the form shown in ms. 11. Each contact, such as the contact I00, comprises the pair of spaced legs having laterally turned portions H2 and H0, the outer end portions III and H8 whereof are reverselyturned as in the previously described instance to form abutblank is folded upon itself to define a wire receiv- Ing groove, which groove portion embraces an insulated part of the corresponding wire I20, leaving the baredend portion I28 of the wire projecting from the grooved portion I22. The bared end portion I28 is received within a smaller grooved portion I28, and is preferably soldered or otherwise permanently secured therein. with this relation it will be appreciated that the grooved portion I22 may be of substantial length and therefore may afford a very firm support for the end of the wire, any flexing of the wire I20 in service being confined to a portion thereof remote from the bared end connection. The wire receiving portion of the contact is separated from the terminal receiving portion by the intermediate or bridging portions I80 of the contact legs. which lie in slightly spaced relation to each other and which, as hereinafter described, cooperate with the insulating body I so as to limit movement of the contact into the body.

The insulating body I00 is provided with a series of three identical cavities designated generally as I00, I82, I80, individual respectively to the contacts I08, I08, and H0. The cavities I80, I02, and I80 each comprise a bore portion, such as I08 (Fig. 9), which extends completely through the body the insulator, and a cooperating bore portion I88, which extends inwardly from the back of the insulator to a point adjacent the forward surface thereof. The two bore portions I88'and I88 of each contact receiving opening are spaced from each other by a rib or saddle portion, the marginal edge I00 whereof is spaced inwardly from the rear face of the insulator by an amount substantially equal to the axial length of the bridge portion I80. In the present instance, each bore portion, such as I38, is counterbored, as indicated at I02, to define a shoulder I60 extending completely therearound, which shoulder cooperates with the contact abutments as hereinafter described.

Considering now the mode of assembling the individual contacts within the insulator I00 and the manner in which they are retained in place therein, each contact, such as I08, may be introduced into the corresponding cavity by slightly contracting the spacing between the fingers H8 and H8, so as to enable the contact to he slid into the associated opening from the rear face of the insulating body. As the contact is advanced into the opening, the abutments at the ends of the fingers H8 and Ila ultimately pass beyond the shoulder I00, at which time they are enabled to snap to the shoulder engaging position shown most clearly in Fig. 8. At this time also the bridge portion I80 occupies a position immediately adjacent the saddle I00. with this relation, the abutments at the ends of the fingers H8 and H8 cooperate with the shoulder I00 so as to prevent withdrawal of the contact from the insulator and at the same time the bridge I80 and the saddle I00 afford a positive limit to further inward move ment of the contact into the insulator. As in the previous'instance, the free width spacing between the fingers H8 and H8 is somewhat in excess of the width of the counterbored portion I02, so that when the contact is in the assembled position, the legs H2 and H0 are sprung to a spacing slightly less than the thickness of the associated terminal I08. Accordingly, when such terminal is introduced into the contact, it spreads the legs H2 and H0 and causes them to yieldingly and frictionally engage the contact, thus affording a good electrical contact and at the same time securely wedging the abutments at the ends of the fingers H8 and H8 onto the shoulder I00.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 12, a contact I of the same general construction as the previously described contacts I08, I08, and H0 is employed, but in this instance, each contact is retained against being withdrawn from the insulator by means of a holding plate I52, which is secured within a recess I80 in the rear face of the insulator I58, by means of the stud I88. In this instance, also the bridge I88 and the saddle I82 serve to prevent further inward movement of the contact into the insulator and the holding plate I82 servesto hold all of the contacts against outward movement. By employing the holding plate I02, it is possible to dispense with the snap'action afforded by the cooperation between the abutments H8 and Ill and the shoulder I00 as described above. Each contact I80 may thus be freely withdrawn from the insulator upon removalof the holding plate I82.

In the construction shown in Fig. 13, the holding plate I10 is applied to the ront face of the insulator I82, the arrangemen being such that each contact I80 and its wire I88 are introduced into the contact receiving opening or cavity I08 from the front of the contacts. The plate I10 holds the shoulder I80 at the back of the contact in abutting relation to the base of the opening I88, and the legs I12 and I10 and the fingers I18 and I10 cooperate to form a terminal gripping receptacle in the previously described manner. It will be noted that the wire I88 projects through a sleeve-like portion of the insulator, which sleeve-like portion gives guiding support to the wire and minimizes flexing thereof in the region of the point of connection between the wire and the contact.

The arrangement of Fig. 14 corresponds in all respects to the arrangement in Figs. 1 through 6, with the exception that the contact I90 is arranged for end connection rather than side connection and for this purpose the wire holding portion I92 of the contact is bent at substantially a right angle to the relation shown in Figs. 1 through 6 so that the wire I80 may extend inwardly to the insulator from the rear face thereof.

The arrangements of Figs. 15 and 16 employ contact structures of the type described with reference to Fig. 13, butin these embodiments, a snap-in action is provided and, in addition, supplemental means are provided to give guiding support to the portions of each wire immediately adjacent the terminal. In Fig. 15, the contact 208, of the type described with reference to Fig. 13, is received within an opening or cavity formed in the insulator 200, each finger 203 of the contact being adapted to interlock over a shoulder formed at the base of a counterbored portion "I formed in the insulator, so as to limit movementinsdirectiontoincreaseitsholdingaction ment or the contact relative to the insulator in one direction and so as to also aflord the snapinterengagement between the shoulder at the back' of the contact and the insulator, as will be obvious. In this instance, a supplemental insulating.

plate 202 is secured to the back. of the insulator as by means of a stud 208, and this plate is provided with a sleeve-like portion 204, which embraces the wire connected to the contact. With this relation, a firm supp rt for the wire is atiorded, so as to minimize fiexlng thereof in the region of its point of connection to the contact. In the arrangement of Fig. 16, the support for the wire is afforded bya cap-like member M2, which is adapted to be removably fitted over a boss-like portion 2M, which projects from the body of the insulator 2". The cap 2|! is provided with a restricted wire engaging p rtion which cooperates with the wire to give guiding support thereto in the just-described manner.

Although only several specific embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be appreciated that various further modifications in the form, number and arrangement of the parts may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of an insulating body having a cavity therein and provided with body abutments, and a contact in said cavity to receive a terminal projected into said cavity lengthwise of the cavity, said contact having a wire holding portion adapted for permanent securement to a wire and having a terminal receptacle portion, said portions being connected together but oflset from each other transversely of the length of said cavity so that a wire end secured to said first portion and said second portion lie side by side in said cavity with the wire end and the said portions lying wholly within the cavity, said terminal portion being constituted by spreadable parts adapted to receive between them and yieldingly grip a said terminal, at least one of said spreadable parts providing an abutment means to engage with a corresponding body abutment and limit movement of the contact relative to the cavity in one direction, and said contact having other abutment means to engage with another corresponding body abutment for limiting movement of the contact relative to the body in an opposite direction, said contact being formed in part at least of resilient material so as to enable at least one of said abutment means to yieldingly ride over its corresponding body abutment during insertion of the contact into the body and thereafter snap into holding relation to said corresponding body abutment.

2. The structure or claim 1 wherein one of the body abutmentsis a shoulder which lies between the said wire holding and terminal receptacle portions and which forms a seat for engagement by the second-mentioned abutment means to limit movement of the contact into the body,

with the said shoulder.

4. In a device oi. the class described, the combination of an insulating body having a cavity therein, a contact adapted to be received within said cavity, and having a wire engaging portion adapted for permanent connection to a wire and having spreadable parts adapted to reieasably receive a terminal between them. said cavity having a shoulder formed therein. said contact having an abutment formed on at least one of said parts and adapted to snap past and engage behind said shoulder during insertion of said contact into said cavity, said contact being adapted to be sprung by the introduction of a terminal between said spreadable parts so as to augment the holding relation between said abutment and said shoulder, and said contact having means between said portion and said parts and engageable with said body to limit movement 01 the contact into the body.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination oi. an insulating body having a recess therein into which a saddle portion projects so as to divide the recess into two spaced but communieating cavities, a contact adapted to be received within said body and having spaced terminal receiving and wire receiving portions which are connected together by a bridge portion, and which are disposed respectively in said cavities, said terminal receiving portion being constituted by a pair or spreadable parts, the ends whereof are outwardly turned to form resilient fingers which engage the wall of the corresponding opening, said fingers cooperating with shoulders with which the corresponding cavity is provided to prevent movement of the contact outwardly oi the body, and said bridge cooperating with the saddle portion to limit movement of the contact inwardly of the body.

6. In a device of the class described, the comnecting portion being seated upon said shoulder 3. The structure of claim 1 wherein certain of to limit movement of the contact into said body, and means carried by one of said legs and engaging shoulder means with which said recess is provided to permit a snap entry of the contact into the body but to prevent movement of the contact out of the body.

'7. In a device of the class described, the combination of an insulating body member having a cavity to accommodate a contact and having first and second holding surfaces formed within said cavity, a terminal engaging contact positioned in said cavity, said contact having spaced portions and a bridge portion between said portions, one of said spaced portions comprising a pair of spreadable parts adapted to yieldingly receive an associated terminal between them and the other of said spaced portions being formed for permanent securement to a wire, said spaced portions being arranged side by side in said cavity, said bridge portion being engageable with one of said surfaces to limit movement of the contact relative to the body in one direction, and a holding portion carried by said one spaced contact into the body.

said contact having wire holding and terminal I receiving portions arranged side by side within said pocket, said wire holding portion being arranged to receive and be permanently secured to an end of a wire projecting into said cavity so that said wire end lies wholly within said cavity and said terminal portion being consti-.

tuted by a pair of spreadable parts arranged to receive a terminal member projected in to said cavity between said spreadable parts, said contact having a connecting part betweensaid portions and said cavity having a shoulder against which said connecting part seats to limit movement of the contact relative to the body in one direction, at least one of said spreadable parts having an abutment part thereon which seats against a shoulder with which the body is provided to limit movement of the contact relative to the body in the other direction, said contact being yieldable to permit at least one of said seating parts to snap past its cooperating shoulder during an entering movement of the 9. In a device of the class described, the combination of an insulating body having a cavity therein, and a contact received in said cavity, said contact having wire holding and terminal receiving portions arranged side by side within said pocket, said wire holding portion being ar- '11. ma device of the class described, the com said legs being adapted to receive between them' a terminal, at leastv one of said legs having an outwardly turned portion at the other end there of which engages a wall of the cavity and cooperates therewith to hold the contact in place within the cavity, said turned portion holding the terminal engaging portion of said one leg in spaced relation to the wall of said cavity so that when a terminal is inserted between said legs at least one said leg can'be sprung toward said wall by said terminal, and said contact having a saddle portion intermediate the ends ofsaid legs for additionally cooperating with the insulating body to secure the contact inplace within the cavity. v

12. In a device of the class described, the vcombination of an insulating body having a cavity ranged to receive and be permanently secured to an end of a wire projecting into said cavity so that said wire end lies wholly within said cavity and said terminal portion being constituted by a pair of spreadable parts arranged to receive a part seats to limit movement of the contact into 1 the pocket, at least one of said spreadable parts constituting a yielding abutment which permits snap entry of the contact into the cavity but prevents withdrawal therefrom.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of an insulated body having a contact receiving cavity therein, and a contact received in said cavity, said contact being of generally U-shaped form having separate spreadable legs joined together at one end by a bight portion.

said bight portion being arranged-to be'clamped 1 .said outwardly tumed portion by its engagement therein and being provided with holding surfaces, a contact received in said caviw to accommodate a terminal, said contact being constituted by a single piece of metal folded upon itself so that jacent the end thereof remote from its junction with the other strip an outwardly turned portion engageable with one said holding surface to limit movement of the contact relative to the body in one direction, said contact further defining a portion engageable with another said holding surface to limit movement of the contact relative to the body in another direction, at least one of said portions being 'yieldable so as to enable said contact to be inserted into said body with a snap action during which insertion said one portion snaps over and behind its said holding surface,

with, said one holding surface being eifective to hold the terminal receiving area of" the correabout a wire to secure said wire to the 'contact,

and said legs being adapted to receive between them a terminal, at least one of said legs having a reversely turned portion adjacent the other end thereoiwhich cooperates with a wall of the cavity to permit a snap entry of the contact into the cavity but prevents withdrawal of the con tact from the cavity, said turned portion hold-' sponding strip in spaced relation to the wan of 'said opening so as to enable such area to-be' sprung toward such'wall upon insertion of a terminal between said strips.

1 1-3. Ina device of the class described, thecombination of an insulated body having a contact receiving cavity therein, and a contact received in 'said cavity, said contact being of generally U-shaped form having separate legs joined together at one-end by a bight portion, saidbight. I portion being arranged to be clamped about a wire to secure said wire to the contact, said legs having lateral extensions adjacent the ends thereof which extend generally parallel to said bight,

said extensions being 'adaptedto receive between them a blade-like terminal, at least one of said. extensions having at its outer end an outwardly turned part which engages the wallof the cavity and holds the terminal eng gin P I-- tion of the corresponding extension in spaced relation to such wall so that upon insertion of a said terminal such portion may be sprung 6 mason" ward the wall, and means comprising abutment means on said body for engagement by said contact for securing said contact in place within said cavity.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination of an insulated body having a recess therein into which a saddle portion projects so as to divide the recess into two spaced cavities, a contact of generally U-shaped form having separate legs Joined together at the inner ends by 10 a bight portion, said hight portion being receivedinonesaid cavityandbeingarranged to beclampedaboutawiretosecuresaidwireto the contact. laid legs having outer end portions received in said other cavity and adapted to receive between them a blade-like terminal, at

cminnns n. wane. 

